This little novella is a gem and a wonder. The story of the "worst kids in the history of the world," who've managed to burn down a toolshed, because "it was a Saturday, and not much going on," and how they hijack the church Christmas pageant, is touching, true and laugh out loud funny. When seen through the eyes of kids who've never even heard the Christmas story, the pageant becomes something deeper and more true than any of the more conventional parishoners expect, and the lessons learned in this unorthodox manner are priceless. Not just meaningful, but fun, as when the Wise Men, sensibly reasoning that the Holy Family has little use for Frankincense and Myrrh, bring a useful gift (a ham!)or when the Angel of The Lord yells to all in attendance, "HEY! UNTO YOU A CHILD IS BORN! For kids and adults, to read and re-read.

I never read this book as a child. My 3rd grade daughter brought this book home from the school library and asked me to read it with her. Doing my parental duty, I happily sat down to read it to her. Was I in for a surprise! It's the story of a family of obnoxious kids who never went to church a day in their lives who decide they want to play all the main parts in the community Christmas pageant. Their antics are absolutely hysterical! This is a great book to share with your kids.

Have you ever met the worst kids in world? Now you have. In the book The Best Christmas Pageant by Barbara Robinson,the Herdmans did a lot of bad things. The Herdmans lied,stole and smoked cigars including the girls.The didn't talk nice to their teachers and they even set fire to things with their chemistry set. To see what else the Herdmans do, pick up this book and read all about it.

Dr. Judith Orloff's GUIDE TO INTUITIVE HEALING is truly a gift to the world. I recommend that everyone take the time to read this book. She has taken a huge risk in writing about her intuitive gifts. But, even more she is trying to teach all of us practical ways to tap into our intuition on a daily basis. That we all have the answers to difficult questions inside of us, if we take the time to listen to our inner voices. I have come to realize that we don't learn to do this overnight. It is a gradual thing that takes a great deal of practice. I had the privilege attending Dr. Orloff's workshop at the Kripalu Yoga Center in Lenox, Massachusetts. It was an amazing experience! I left the workshop with more than I could have ever imagined. I believe this book should be read by everyone in the health care profession. What a great gift for our patients! I am in the nursing profession and had found myself going numb and just going through the motions at work. We were and still are short staffed at the hospital where I am employed. Which is a nationwide problem. I feel like I've gained my compassion back after attending the workshop and reading INTUITIVE HEALING. I've also learned that being compassionate and listening to my intuition actually helps with time management at work. It seems we are always racing against the clock, but bringing positive energy into each patient's room and taking the time to listen really helps the patients heal or at least feel more peaceful. Something else I learned from Dr. Orloff's book is the story of Kuan Yin, the goddess of compassion in China. Dr. Orloff states that she wears a green jade pendant of Kuan Yin for protection and to open her heart. I noticed the pendant at the workshop, but was too shy to ask what it was. I later received the answer while reading the book. I was so moved by the story of Kuan Yin that I purchased a Kuan Yin pendant also. The pendant is always resting against my heart reminding me to be compassionate with myself and others. Take the time to read this book. You won't regret it!

What I love about INTUITIVE HEALING is that it addresses what so many of us have lost: common sense. Though the book is about intuition-which sounds like such an esoteric topic-it really is about taking action, about being directly engaged in the healing of our problems; it's about using our innate intuition-an ancient wisdom-to deal with a wide range of health issues. Dr. Orloff shows us how to listen to our bodies, to look for instinctive signs and signals, to see more deeply into what is going wrong-and what is going right-in our lives. In an era when traditional medicine and hospital settings can be so bewildering and overwhelming, Dr. Orloff's book provides a guide through the labyrinth. I loved her lovely, passionate, earthy words; I loved the stories she tells to illustrate how others have used their intuitive ability to heal. This book is a must for anyone who doesn't want to be a passive observer in their own well-being; this is a book for anyone who desires to be a participant.

GUIDE TO INTUITIVE HEALING
By Dr. Judith Orloff, Dean Ornish

In GUIDE TO INTUITIVE HEALING, Dr. Judith Orloff portrays intuition as a normal, human capacity -- a powerful source of wisdom that anyone and everyone can and should develop. As a practicing psychiatrist and intuitive, she calls us to realize the power of being in touch with the body's innate, natural intelligence. She encourages us to learn how to understand its language and interpret its signals -- whether in the form of dreams, illnesses, premonitions, or what we might simply call "gut feeling." By developing sensitivity to our body and listening to its messages, we are able to be aware of imbalances and illnesses as they arise. We can receive inner guidance as to how they may be treated and healed. GUIDE TO INTUITIVE HEALING offers sensitive, intelligent, practical guidance and wisdom as to how we can nurture and develop these innate abilities.

Based on her own life experiences, Dr. Orloff offers a series of steps to help others get in touch with their own innate, healing capacities. This enables them to use intuition as a powerful tool in facing life's inevitable challenges. The aim is to restore wholeness of being -- harmony and balance in every aspect and on every level of our lives - whether physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, or sexual. For that, we need to free ourselves from limited, preconceived notions about healing. We need to develop the self-confidence to know that we can connect with our body's intelligence and heal ourselves. We need to learn to listen to our body and read its signals. Learning how to sense subtle energies, listening to our inner voice and asking for its guidance, and learning the language of our dreams are further steps in this process. The techniques offered in GUIDE TO INTUITIVE HEALING help clear blockages of energy. They open us to the fullness, joy, passion, and creative energy of life.

Dr. Orloff sees illness as an opportunity for growth and transformation, not a self-inflicted form of punishment. It is a way to open up the heart. She believes that in intuitive healing, love is the most powerful healing force. Compassion for ourself is essential. In a treasure chest of stories and narratives about her own life and those of her patients, Dr. Orloff illustrates with profound clarity and insight how every illness has its own integrity and its own language. When we listen with caring attention, sensitivity, and compassion, the illness can speak to us. It can tell us how it may heal. The answer to the disease is contained in the disease itself. We need to learn how to understand its language. GUIDE TO INTUITIVE HEALING shows us the way.

Death can be a powerful form of intuitive healing. With her rare combination of immense sensitivity, vulnerability, and inner strength, Dr. Orloff shares her stories of being with each of her parents when they died. She served as the devoted caretaker of her father - a medical practitioner and anesthesiologist -- as the layers of his identity and dignity were stripped away, one by one, by the ravages of Parkinson's Disease. She witnessed how that terrible, degenerative process opened within him deeper levels of understanding and invoked a transformation of being. Her story offers a powerful vision of hope. It illustrates how intuitive healing frees us from the grip of our fears. It affirms our deepest truth. Intuitive healing gives us the wisdom, courage, and strength to learn from every experience in life - dark or light - and to grow and be transformed by it.

Dr. Orloff gives examples of the power of dreams to guide and illumine our lives and steps that we may realize that power. By asking ourselves a question before retiring at night and writing down our dream the following morning, we can communicate with our inner selves. We can receive guidance from our dreams as to how to approach and avoid pitfalls in life. We can receive illumination as to what is a proper course of action among various choices presented before us. The possibilities are endless.

It is Dr. Orloff's observation that the tremendous power and potential of intuitive healing has been neglected and overlooked, if not denied, by modern medicine. It is her passion to use her position as a psychiatrist to change the complexion of modern medicine -- to restore its soul -- by giving social credibility to the powers of intuitive healing. Intuitive healing can complement modern medicine. Dr. Orloff offers valuable guidance as to how we may find a doctor who will work with us in using the tools of intuitive healing. By so doing, we are empowered as patients to accept greater responsibility for our lives and for our own healing. The physician is also empowered by being able to access the innate wisdom and intelligence of his patients. It is a win-win situation.

We live, today, in an age of astounding advances in science and technology. The emphasis is on creating increasingly sensitive and refined instruments to monitor, detect, and decode information in our lives and throughout the world. That approach is from the outside in. Dr. Judith Orloff offers us an approach from the inside out. She shows us the way in a series of clear and practical steps to refine and strengthen our innate ability to monitor, detect, and decode information offered by our inner self. As T. S. Elliot queried, "Where is the knowledge in information? And where is the wisdom in knowledge?" Dr. Judith Orloff's book, GUIDE TO INTUITIVE HEALING, shows us the way to tap into our inner source of knowledge and wisdom. She offers a path toward wholeness and integration -- toward harmony with our inner and outer environment -- toward communion and communication with our inner selves and with the forces of nature. GUIDE TO INTUITIVE HEALING offers a healing balm to our hurting world. Dr. Orloff has offered a gift to humanity and to the whole of life.

And Judith Viorst has created one of them. I didn't know who the author was until just today but Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day has been my all time favorite book since I can remember. Of course to all my adult friends, I would rather die than admit it. Even today, when I am having just one of those awful days, I tell people I am having an "Alexander" day. I think it also developed my love for poetry.
You hear all the time how it is important for kids to read, but it is just a cliche, it has lost all meaning. It is when you stop and think about authors like Judith Viorst or Dr. Seuss and how I know for myself it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have such a deep love for the written word and its magic it brings that you see its true value. Alexander is a classic, just as much as Moby Dick or Oliver Twist and everyone with a sense of whimsy (and especially those without it) need to read it.
I was reading another book Mrs. Viorst wrote and when I found out she wrote my beloved Alexander book, my face lit up. That's the power of Alexander, he makes 33 year old women's faces light up as they recall his tale of plight. (And a note to Alexander: I talked to my cousins in Australia, and your mother was right, they do have those kind of days there too. LOL)

I am a teacher and I read this book to my 5th and 6th grade classes each year when I have had a horrible day myself. We all get a very good laugh because we ALL have days like Alexander, from getting squished in the car, to "accidently" calling Australia (his dad prefers that they don't pick him up at the office anymore). Each kid gets a big kick from Alexander's comment that there is "kissing on television, and I hate kissing." We even make our own very bad day books when necessary. This is a must read for teachers and parents of kids of any age!

Viorst does her best work on this children's book. It hits the High Quality Picture Book Criteria right on the head. Her use of illustrations are wonderfully clever, accurate and appropriate. A child can sit and listen to this book while exploring the illustrators creativity. The illustrations compliment the setting and the plot perfectly. While I read and evaluated the book, I admired all the great detail involved on every page. The pictures definately enhance the quality of the book. One can picture the story in their head easily due to the great extent of artwork involved. I found no biases of any sort. Along with the illustrations the plot and characters are life-like and believable. A child could definately rationalize and understand the story. Considering everyone has a bad day every now and then the theme is wonderful. Especially for a young child and even adults reflecting back on this story can be a stress reliever. I recommend this book because I feel that readers of all ages could relate to this book. It is very cleverly written and created. The language is appropriate for all therefore it can be enjoyed by all ages. The book (story line and illustrations) just flow. Sometimes you can't help but read it again! Alexander's bad day is assured to bring a smile to your face.

This well-written, engaging book focuses on the author's experiences as a psychic and her attempts to integrate her psychic abilities (which have made her uncomfortable in the past) into her daily life.

The author considers intuition and psychic capabilities to be one and the same, but I do not. I do not consider myself a psychic. I read Second Sight to learn how to better access and integrate my intuition (whose inexplicable conclusions have frequently made me uncomfortable) into my life and decisionmaking. This book provided me with exactly the support and information that I needed.

Reading about Dr. Orloff's struggles to merge her rational and seemingly irrational sides has inspired me to do the same. The book contains simple, practical suggestions for developing and using intuition that made it easy for me to get started and progress toward integration in my life. I now feel much more comfortable with my intuition and myself. As I've learned to trust my instincts, my decisionmaking has become less arduous, and I feel a greater peace regarding difficult choices that I have made in the past.

This book will NOT help you if you want to understand WHY psychic phenomena occur. Orloff seems to avoid this issue-- she simply presents her history. Personally, I found her approach more convincing than that of some new age psychic books which treat speculation as fact.

"Second Sight" is wonderfully validating for readers who experience intuitive flashes and psychic events, as well as a very intriguing read for those who don't. Dr. Judith Orloff's book, which engaged me immediately and felt like a conversation that ended much too soon, builds a sturdy bridge of understanding between the worlds of science and spirituality. Medical doctors and mediums alike can freely traverse Dr. Orloff's territory without feeling as though they've drifted into the enemy's camp. Dr. Orloff doesn't read palms; no psychic call-in lines or tea leaves here. She simply shares her story with warmth and candor, convincing us that it's possible to intuit more about a medical reality than meets the eye. This book offers plentiful proof of the body-mind-spirit connection. It paints a vivid portrait of a new kind of healer; one who not only taps into the rational mind to access scientific knowledge, but also heeds the psychic impressions that invisibly complete the puzzle to effect healing. Dr. Orloff knows these realms. This book gets my highest recommendation.

I learned of Dr. Orloff from a radio interview, and I bought both of her books immediately (the other being Intuitive Healing). I recently finished Second Sight, and I must commend Dr. Orloff on putting out an excellent practical guide to trusting our intuition. I tend to be on the critical side of books of this nature, but this was an outstanding work (in my opinion).

The book uses a compelling structure where Dr. Orloff begins her tale at the breaking point in her professional career where she decides to intergrate her intuitive skills with her professional psychiatric practice. From there, she leads the reader on a very personal journey where she dealt with her abilities, and there is a very touching chapter where she comes to a greater understanding of her family (particularly her mother and grandmother's intuitive abilities). She completes the cycle by showing ways to apply intuitive reasoning into everyday life, Dr. Orloff avoids the normal cliches and makes the skills applicable to most readers. I really enjoyed her writing style and the structure of the writing.

Dr. Orloff's suggestion of keeping a dream journal is something I have always balked on, but her stories reinforced the practical value of this. I have started doing this daily ritual, and it has already provided valuable insight into my daily challenges.

I would highly recommend Dr. Orloff's work, and I look forward to her next book (hint hint).

I am a die hard Linda Howard fan. Because I was running out of LH novels to read, I started reading authors whose style compared to LH. I read a good many of them based on reviews on amazon.com and none seemed to make me squeal with anticipation as I turned the pages.
Then I read Paradise by Judith McNaught and I have truly found an author equal to LH. The story of Meredith and Matt are imprinted in my mind because their love was so beautiful.
There were "magic" or poignant moments that will stick in my mind forever. From their first encounter in her father's library, to the moment Meredith revealed to Matt what really happened 11 years ago, to the moment Meredith realizes with clarity that it is Matt she wants and not her precious B&C.
This was definately an all-nighter. My head still aches because I had all but 4 hrs to sleep (good thing it was a Saturday evening). However, it was well worth it!!! I look forward to conquering the rest of JM's books.

I have to admit. I was skeptical about this book in the beginning. The description at the back sounded boring and the length didn't help either but I told myself ' What the heck, just give it a try ' In the end I was totally captivated by the very true and everlasting love that was experienced between Matt and Meredith. Their story touched my heart and made me yearn for a love like theirs. If I had only 1 wish in the world, I will wish to be Meredith Bancroft. I guess the same goes out to many of you too, right? Anyway, I've read all of JM's books and my favorites are Paradise, Whitney my Love and Once and Always. I think that these 3 books have truly captured the essence of true love. I'm desperately awaiting the release of Water's Edge. I can't wait ! I've tried other romance authors but I feel that JM's still the best! Keep up the good work and keep on writing good books......=)

I must confess I love all of her books. When I read "Paradies" & "Perfect" I became slave of love. I fell in love with all the characters. I just wish one of these stories will made into a TV movie for lifetime. If anyone out there has not read any of her book with eyes close I strongly recommend these two books then you'll let me in your review. you will laugh, cry then there will be time you want to kill them all then you turn the page and you just fall in love over and over again. in paradise my favorite scene is the meeting between Meridith and Matt at his place she went to tell him the truth about the baby. I cried and cried along with them. I read that scence so many time the pages of the book just disappear on me. if you're going on vacation stop by a book store take Matt, Mer & Zack, Julie with you believe me you won't regret it. I thought "whitney my lovve" was it until I read these 2. judith keep up the good work and if you could write a little more often it will help. some of us are suffering waiting for the next novel. I felt she takes an eternity after "Remember When" came out until "Night Whispers". but you're my # 1 author. Love always your fan

--Ten-year-old Mandy lives at a girls' orphanage and wants her own family and own home. Her latter wish is granted when she discovers a small cottage in the woods behind the orphanage. Over most of the year, Mandy fixes up the cottage and plants a lovely garden, but when she suddenly falls ill at the cottage one night, no one can find her. Or so she thought: Mandy actually has a good friend whom she doesn't even know about. --This is a rare type of book: it was sweet yet still lively, which is something which is both unusual and great to read. --Marisa

Julie Andrews' name is next to the word *TALENT* in the dictionary. She can sing better than *anyone* in the world, she is an absolutely pheunomenal, versatile actress (she won an Academy Award for Best Actress to prove it), an absobloominlutely AMAZING writer and has a personality to die for. Let me ask you, how is it possible to be all these things and then be EXTREMELY Beautiful???
I don't know how she does it! But I'm postively mesmerized by everything she's done.
Anyhoo, onto the book. Mandy is VERY VERY VERY well-written and as I've said previoulsly, its hard to believe that someone who cna sing and act as perfectly as Julie can write to wonderfull as well! Julie adds so much detail so you know every little thing thats going on in the story. You can almost SMELL the flowers and see the garden and feel the love! It's tremondous. I could read this book OVER and OVER until someone finally whacks me over the head and slaps me back into reality. If you love this book (I can't imagine anyone NOT loving this book) I HIGHLY recommened Julie Andrews Edwards' other children's novel "The Last Of The Really Great WHangdoodles", kinda sounds like something from the woman who put Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious into our vocabulary, doesn't it? 'Whandoodles' is so creative and so wonderful!!!
Bravo, Dame Julie!
BY THE WAY- further back in the comments someone said that Julie wrote this because she lost a bet to her daughter Emma Kate, she ACTUALLY lost a bet with her daughter *Jennifer*. The bet was that if Julie didn't stop swearing (or cursing) Jen would make her right a book....looks like Julie couldn't stop. :-)

GREAT BOOK, GREAT AUTHOR, GREAT FUN!

I absolutley love this book. My Grandma gave it to me as a present when I was 8 or 9 and I didn't even really like to read, but this was an amaizing story that really captures the reader. Mandy was so interesting to read about. I couldn't put the book down when I started reading it. I would fall asleep reading it! It was an easy book to read, no difficult words or ideas, so it would be ideal for a younger child, but it was also so interesting that an older person could definatey enjoy it. It is still my favorite book. I've loved this book for almost 10 years and I have no idea how many times I read it. But it's still good and draws me into the fantasy ever time I read it. I'd reccomend this book for a mom to read to her daughter. I'm sure you'll enjoy this book.

This book will definetily bring a smile to your face. The author and illustrator both did an exceptional job at creating a fantasy world. The book begins with a grandpa telling his grandchildren a usual bedtime story. However, the story takes a wild turn as the book begins to unfold. The grandpa describes a very unusual town with very unusual weather. See in this town, the sky supplied all the food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all came from the sky. As I began to read, I couldn't wait to flip the pages and find out what kind of food the weather would bring that day. Your imagination goes wild as you try to envision yourself running about trying to catch your lunch as it falls from the sky. The illustrations are great. Now, you would think that this whole food falling from the sky thing would be a pretty good idea. But, is it? Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is definetily a book that is worth while to read. It will always remain one of my all time favorite children's books.

I first read this book when I was 9 years old. I must have read it at least 25 times over the course of that year, and now, at age 25, I have begun reading it to my 7 month old son. It is one of the truely classic children's books. Judy Barrett combines the unrealistic tales told to children by their elders along with the wonderfully believeable tales that children concock in their own minds. Imagine for a moment that the town of Chewandswallow were real...for an adult this would mean the fantasy of never having to cook another meal and for the child this would mean playing with their food and eating with their hands all the time! For the town of Chewandswallow is a town where all of your meals come from the sky - clouds of scrambled eggs for breakfast followed by a shower of orange juice. It is a wonderfully illustrated tale that makes one wish they could experience life in this town for just one day. While I have now become an adult, it is still nice to dream about a place where the sunset atop a snow covered hill resembles a pat of butter atop mashed potatoes.

When I first read this book I was about seven years old.... and I haven't stopped loving it in the 13 years since. The book is so imaginative and beautifully illustrated. The story holds a child's attention.. a feat that a book rarely accomplishes in the age of television and computer games. It starts on saturday morning... pancake morning. And it ends with a bedtime story that stretches across oceans, desserts, mountains, and into the realm of Chewandswallow, a most extraordinary town. As I child I was fascinated with rain, snow, and thunderstorms. I aboslutely loved them! In Chewandswallow, the weather brings breakfast lunch and dinner. The illustrations are so well drawn and full of detail, there is always something new to see. My favorite drawing is the two page spread in the middle of the book, which depicts the town under destruction of monstrous food... gargantuan pizza, two-story pickles, and doughnuts the size of cars. Everytime I read the story to my cousins, they laugh over the man with the noodle on his head. It is fun for us to think up our own weather-menus for Ralph's Roofless Restaurant, and draw pictures of the food falling from the sky. Kid's love it, it's good clean fun, and the adults don't get bored reading it over and over. In fact, I have it memorized! And I just found out that there is a sequal to this book, Pickles to Pittsburgh, so I am going to have to get it to read... after all these years, I finally get to see what happened back in the town of Chewandswallow... the town everyone was afraid to go back to because of the giant food that fell from the sky.....

This was one of the best Judith McNaught books I have read, if not THE best. I liked this book much more than *Whitney, My Love*. In my opinion, Ian Thornton is the ultimate hero. He's compassionate, romantic, intelligent....where can I find myself an Ian? :) I love how he comes to Elizabeth's rescue when he finds out what she has gone through in the past 2 years. This book kept me crying one second, then laughing the next. I didn't like the whole issue with Elizabeth's brother though. How could she have done that to Ian??? That was when I just wanted to go yell at her. I mean, I thought she was smarter than that!! How dumb can she be to not trust Ian, but trust her stupid brother instead?? I just didnt' like that whole conflict in this story, and then the courtroom scene. That was funny, but still, I started to not like Elizabeth after that. You can't blame Ian for being so angry like that. Overall, this was a good read, and i highly recommend it.

At the age of 18, I have only read about 30 romance novels, most of which were only "so-so". From the moment I read "Once and Always" by JM, I was in complete and utter awe at her talent; I couldn't seem to get enough of her work! "Almost Heaven", however, is without a doubt my favorite one of them all. The characters are so lovable and seem so REAL, making it almost impossible to put the book down. (even at 2 in the morning on a work day :) Elizabeth is wonderfully witty and intelligent; who knew that this sweet, charming girl possessed such an uncanny knack for bargaining? Ian is definitely the man of my dreams. Yes, he was stubborn and extremely exasperating at times, but he said things to Elizabeth that made ME swoon! This book captivates you from the first page to the last; I love it so much, I'm in the process of reading it for the seventh time as we speak...so you can probably guess how highly I recommend it!!

I have read countless novels for many years, but Almost Heaven is undoubtedly still my absolute, number one favourite of all time. The love, humor, poignancy, and main characters are all unsurpassed and unforgettable. I have read it and reread it many times, and I still feel every heartwrenching emotion that Ian and Elizabeth experience. There are so many tender scenes that make me smile and cry all at the same time. Ian and Elizabeth's reunion in the Scotland cottage had me crying like I had never cried before!

Judith McNaught is a goddess!! Her books have an irresistable charm that will make you fall in love... I cannot find the words to describe the magnificence of Almost Heaven. You will have to experience its unbelievable love and touching emtions for yourself...

Could someone please recommend another book/author like Almost Heaven/JM? I have tried other authors, but was always disappointed. I have yet to find another author who can tap into emotions as deeply as Judith McNaught does...

Motivational speaker and writer Judith Wright insists that the minor harmless habits are the dangerous ones that hold people prisoners within "soft addictions" that keep an individual from enjoying love and meaningfulness in life. These time filling disillusioned ruts like watching TV or surfing the Internet typically leave a person unfulfilled. Ms. Wright offers a program to eliminate or at least reduce the "soft addictions" in order to gain a more harmonic lifestyle shared with loved ones. The author espouses live everyday with the expressed purpose of achieving your goals and stepping closer to attaining one's vision rather than hide within the socially acceptable rut.

This self-help book is well written and easy to follow once the reader understands the underlying hypothesis fostered by Ms. Wright, who makes a strong anecdotal case defending her belief. The difficult part remains disciplining one's self because these "soft addictions" are so hypnotic even when one is left feeling empty afterward, but Ms. Wright offers small steps as a plan to achieve a more satiated life shared with loved ones. THERE MUST BE MORE THAN THIS: FINDING MORE LIFE, LOVE, AND MEANING BY OVERCOMING YOUR SOFT ADDICTIONS is solid advice for those who seek greater harmony within themselves.

Harriet Klausner

I bought a bunch of copies of this book and am giving them to my friends, family and business customers. I found Judith Wright's message about soft addictions to be simple and easy to understand, and at the same time very deep and meaningful. Unlike most other "self help" books, she actually tells you how to help yourself and change your life in ways anybody can do. She doesn't just talk about how to have a life with more love and meaning, she shows you how. You also get the sense that this is a woman who walks her talk. She gives personal examples about herself and many others who have made impressive changes in their lives. By giving this book to people and talking about its message, it helps me do exactly what Judith talks about. It gives me a way to get into deeper, more meaningful conversations and make an everyday meeting more satisfying and fulfilling. It also has a fabulous cover that grabs people's attention and makes them feel like you gave them something very special.

I have read my share of self-help books. And with each one, I have found a cache of concepts and ideas but little guidance for a practical application that would really impact my life. "There Must Be More Than This" is a true exception. Certainly, the concepts (and realities) of "soft addictions" and "stinking thinking" may at first seem to be both too obvious and too overwhelming to even begin to consider conquering them. But, I found Wright's approach to offer an amazingly simple process for me to stay conscious, aware, and responsible of my choices and the effect that they have on my world and how I experience it. While the section on the costs of remaining unconscious to our soft addictions was maybe the most eye-opening and valuable, my favorite chapter was "Fulfilling Your Spiritual Hungers." Simple and profound at the same time, it left me sold on Judith Wright's message and wondering what life would have been like if my 'true' hungers had been what counted all along; and then, the thought "what if they counted now?" Now that I have finished reading this book, it's seems crazy to want life to be any other way.

You will laugh, cry and be confused when you read this book. This book can teach you that what you think is good is not always good.

There is a boy named Peter Pan. He sprinkles fairy dust in Wendy and her two brothers. Then he shows them how to fly. He takes them to Neverland and shows them to the Lost Boys who live there. Wendy becomes their mother. She makes up rules, like any other mother would do. The boys have to follow these rules. Everything was fine until Captain Hook came with his crew to where the boys and Wendy were. While Wendy and the boys were at the lagoon, where they go every day after dinner, they see a girl named Tiger Lily, princess of her tribe. She was captured by Smee, one of Captain Hook's men. Then Peter saved her. A few days later Wendy and the boys were on their way to Wendy's house when they too were all captured by Captain Hook. Then Peter saves them. Then the lost boys, Wendy and her brothers go home. All except for Peter.

It is mostly about what the people in the book think is right with childhood. The kids in the book think that if you grow up it is bad, but in our case it is actually good.

Peter Pan is a violent book not really made for children under the age of 10 but people 10 and up can read it. It is violent because of the language that is spoken and the idea that killing could be fun. Also, the vocabulary is very difficult for children under 10 to understand. Even if you're older it is difficult to understand.

Overall, it is a good book but watch out for the violent ideas if you are reading it to little children.

This is an utterly charming work. It has been retold myriad times, but nobody else has done it as well as the original teller, J. M. Barrie.

It's difficult to know what to say about a book like this... everybody knows the story. But I guess that unless you've read this book (not just seen a movie or read a retelling), you don't really know the character Peter Pan, and without knowing the character, you don't really know the story. So read it.

By the way, if you enjoy this, you probably would also like "Sentimental Tommy" and its sequel "Tommy and Grizel", both by Barrie. There are differences (for one thing they're not fantasy), but there are also compelling similarities. Anybody who found Peter Pan a deep and slightly bittersweet book would be sure to enjoy them.

-Stephen

When talking of literature, people tend to look solely at books they read today but forget what they used to read, namely the ones we read as children. It is a common misunderstanding that children's literature is to be read by children and children only, but when we come to think of it, which one of us are not children, at least in our hearts?

One of the best books any child, young or old, can read is Barrie's Peter Pan. Although written in the past century, it has something for any generation at any time. Its humorous views at the world from a child's mind left me rolling over the floor, laughing; the exciting storyline kept me busy with reading until the end; and the serious undertone made me think of whether the world wouldn't be a better place if we realised that deep down, however deep, we are in fact all children. So if YOU are a child, which you most certainly are, get yourself a copy and enjoy your ongoing childhood.